


Fascination

by amaraal



Category: Age of Sail - Fandom, Hornblower (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-02
Updated: 2013-02-02
Packaged: 2017-11-27 21:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/666901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaraal/pseuds/amaraal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A nap on mossy ground, gentleness, moss and uniforms. And the hollow of the knee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fascination

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eglantine_br](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=eglantine_br), [nodbear](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=nodbear), [anteros_imc](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=anteros_imc).



> Third attempt. For my moss!kink. Be kind to me.

“Archie, do you come?” The harsh tone concealed longing, detectable only for a knowing soul. Archie smiled and nodded. They left the Indy and well supplied with money and some food they started their short journey through Naples, bringing the governor letters and best wishes from his sister in law. The captain had chosen them, because Archie had visited the castle before, and then – they needed a bit vacation for their own amusement.

Horatio couldn’t prevent looking at Archie every minute. His friend’s hair shone like spun gold and the dimples in his cheeks deepened when he smiled, content and looking ahead to their next adventure.  
An adventure it was indeed. The castle lay about five miles ashore, they had to pass a windy hill and a large forest who inhabited wolves, so people had told them and bears even. So they went dressed in formal attire, the blue and white midshipman’s uniform, brass buttons sparkling in the merry light. They took two pistols and their swords with them, and off they were – buying some fresh bread and wine from a local shop, enjoying the fresh breeze, mixing among the busy people around them, cheerful and enjoying life.  
Horatio draped an arm around Archie’s shoulder, and the blonde looked at him, smiled and said nothing. They stumbled like all men who still use their sea legs ashore. But soon they laughed and ran, trying to catch a butterfly, a bee next. (“Honeybee, tell her to stop. I thought you are the king of bees.” “Archie, bees have no king.” “ Pity. If I where a bee…” “Archie, you are no bee, you are a beast.” “Aaargh…” “Ah, no, mercy! Don’t! Archie... I will have to…”) But Horatio’s attempts to stop evil Archie from biting his neck failed and he could only admit defeat.  
Archie’s arm around his neck they reached the foot of the hill. Looking up they could see a small white chapel, young birch trees through which branches a gentle breeze went, the sky a bright blue, some small clouds. ‘Five and a half knot,’ Horatio thought, calculating the wind and blushing, when he felt Archie’s eyes on him.  
“Come, Horatio. Until the night falls. I bet it will be awfully cold here without the sun.“ Chasing each other they left the town, two more steps and they stood on the small, narrow path, leading up, high and higher, vanishing between the trees.

*** 

Halfway to the chapel they stopped and Horatio took the glass out and looked down to the harbour, to the Indy half a mile away, maybe a bit more. The glass caught the light, reflecting it, and an answer came from Jimmy, one of the boys, they waved and the watch on deck waved back.  
“Jimmy,” murmured Horatio. “The rascal. He will make his way…”  
“Of course he will. You are his teacher. And one day he will be as famous as you, ‘ratio. You will be famous. And I will die for you…” Startled Horatio looked at his friend.  
“No, no, Archie. I will not be famous, and you will most certainly not die for me, is that clear?”  
“Ay, captain.” Archie said mockingly, but the joy in his blue eyes was dimmed, and they both knew, that he could be right. Maybe. Someday.  
„Let’s rest. It’s hot.” Horatio said, and shielding his eyes from the sun with one arm, he reached Archie the sack with their provisions, taking it Archie went deeper into a small ensemble of young birch trees and larger, older pines surrounding them.

The spot was cool, soft green moss covered the earth. Leaning against a trunk, fallen in one of the heavy storms maybe, covered in moss itself, they enjoyed a meal, shared the wine and then Archie yawned. Sliding into Horatio’s lap he wriggled himself into the moss and against Horatio’s figure, smiling up at him, holding his eyes and his own breath. Flecks of golden light filtered through the small leaves, painting his friend like a Dalmatian, golden spots lay on his dark locks, one eye gleaming amber, the other almost black. One spot hit his lips… Archie thought of pomegranates and cherries. So lush. Red. Moist. He reached up and his thumb traced the velvet pillow of Horatio’s lower lip. Horatio didn’t move, he caught Archie’s hand in his and kissed his fingers, his palm, his eyes never losing his friend’s.  
“’ratio…” Archie’s voice a mere whisper. When Horatio kissed him he closed his eyes, and then on their makeshift bed of shed clothes they caressed each other slowly, tenderly. Horatio felt Archie’s Adam’s apple bob under his ministrations, his hands where both in his hair, holding his head like a globe, whispering his name, drawing him in, near, close, closer, melting heat from above where the rays hit his exposed flesh, for Archie has divested him of his shirt, or halfway so, both his arms were captured in the fabric, Archie chuckled.  
“Mine…” He said.  
“Always.” Horatio answered. And then he forget about letters and duty and the five knots the Indy could have made; forgot modesty, shed morality like his breeches. He wanted Archie, and all of him.  
His fair friend. He lay on their uniform jackets, soaked with the damp still clinging to the moss, he was still laughing, his blue eyes shining like two blue diamonds in all the green and gold and the black bark of the trunk behind them, protecting them from spying eyes, providing shelter, keeping their secret. 

One arm around Archie’s head, one of his finger’s between Archie’s teeth, Horatio kissed the white skin, collarbone, the smooth silk where Archie’s arms joined the body, his breast, feeling the muscles flexing under sensible skin. Resting the other arm under Archie’s thigh he rubbed himself against the squirming being, eager to meet his thrusts, desperately clinging to the sinewy body he so loved and wanted.  
“’ratio… please…” He started to fall. He was flying. He was a bee or a beast. A beast with a deadly stinger. He cried, he begged, his fingers clawing the broad back, the hard muscles of the loins, the crevice between two firm bums.  
He allowed Horatio to descend, the sloppy kisses trailing down his body, the tongue in his navel made him hold his breath, he cringed and opened his legs. Both ankles in an iron grip Horatio grinned down at him, his dark eyes sparkling. His lips forming tiny kisses he gently thrust against his body. Archie felt like a small boat rocked by a giant wave. And then Horatio began to lick at his ankle, first his right, then left. Pushing his legs higher up his tongue left a wet trail and when he reached the hollow of his knees Archie’s eyes closed involuntarily, clenching his teeth he started to shiver.

Horatio made a sound half laughter half grunt and both his hands caressed Archie’s thighs, not touching the heavy mast that had grown between the blonde’s legs, long and lean, a pink tip shining like a strange flower in the green-golden light.  
“No.” He gasped. But pressing his own hot pole against the smooth flesh Horatio licked the hollow of Archie’s knee, the flexing strings, one left, one right, the skin white and delicious, sweet and salty, blue and golden lights flickering through his mind he bit and sucked, licked and kissed until the man underneath was a quivering mess, sobbing incoherently, pleading and begging. His flesh poked and searched without his knowledge. Soon the shiny head found its destination, slicked by his juices and the wetness from below.  
They closed the circle. Lips on lips, flesh in flesh they were one, a whole, complete. Their joining organic, an ocean ride, long and slow first, then harsh and ragged, but always together, like a tampon in a gun’s muzzle, the pitching of the ship’s hull on high seas, crashing, colliding, a force of nature.  
Then a moment of absolute calmness… the eye of the storm, Archie’s exposed neck, Horatio’s laboured breath, his hands holding Archie’s, their fingers entwined, Archie’s ankles crossed over Horatio’s back – they came. Often achieved, seldom reached – absolute synchronicity. Ecstasy, white washed shores, breaking through the surf, sea-foam licking over fine sand, up and down, up and down, eruptions, spasm, paroxysm.  
After a while they came back, back to the world, to their senses. Their breaths still hot on each other’s face, sync, harmony.  
A bird in the tree sang a hymn for them. A hymn of love and life and joy. 

 

When they reached the castle short before sunset everyone noticed the almost palpable bond between them. But no one dared to say or word or even touch them. For such love is sacrosanct. 

 

***


End file.
